Cupholder for Storing Cups Beneath Surfaces

ABSTRACT

A cupholder comprising a structural member that can be readily affixed to a substantially flat surface and that can grip the protruding upper rim of certain cups. The cupholder will provide storage for a cup having a protruding upper rim beneath a substantially flat surface, including, but not limited to, a plate, bowl, table, desk, or countertop.

BACKGROUND Field of the Disclosure

Cupholders provide storage for cups in a variety of settings. The present technology relates to a cupholder that provides storage for beverage cups or other cups having a protruding upper rim or lip at the mouth of the cup. The cupholder stores beverage cups in an upright position against or in close proximity to the underside of any substantially flat surface to which the cupholder is affixed. Various embodiments of this cupholder can be designed to accommodate a variety of sizes and shapes of cups. Furthermore, the cupholder can accommodate cups filled with liquid or other materials or objects.

Cupholders have been used in the art, however, there are significant differences between the present technology and what is already known. Although there are references that use various forms to store cups, the claimed technology fundamentally diverges from these references. Existing cupholders, such as those one finds in a car or molded into a movie theater seat, cradle the cup from beneath or rely on contact between the vertical surfaces of the cup and the cupholder. Such cupholders provide support from below while leaving the mouth of the cup exposed. They also require the cup to protrude above the surface to which it is affixed. These existing cupholders are unlike the embodiments of the present technology, which provide for the support of a cup from above by gripping the protruding upper rim found on some cups, such as the red and blue plastic cups familiar to many barbecues. Additionally, in certain embodiments the presently claimed technology allows the cup to be placed into position for storage underneath the surface to which the present technology is affixed, instead of being seated from above as in existing cupholders.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In certain embodiments, the present technology provides a cupholder comprising a structural member capable of holding a cup that has a protruding upper rim. The structural member can be affixed to the bottom of a substantially flat surface to provide storage for the cup beneath the surface. The structural member grips the protruding upper rim of the cup to hold the cup in position.

In certain embodiments, the present technology provides a cupholder comprising a structural member that grips the protruding upper rim of a cup by accepting the rim into a groove. The groove is formed at the interface between the structural member and the substantially flat surface to which it is affixed.

In certain embodiments, the present technology provides a cupholder comprising a structural member that grips the protruding upper rim of a cup by accepting the rim into a groove. The groove is formed within the structural member, at the point of contact with the rim of the cup.

In certain embodiments, the present technology provides a cupholder comprising a structural member angled such that it forms an acute angle with the bottom of the substantially flat surface to which it is affixed. The angled structural member grips the protruding upper rim of the cup by accepting the rim into the empty space formed between the structural member and the substantially flat surface.

In certain embodiments, the present technology provides a cupholder comprising a structural member that is concave. The structural member grips the protruding upper rim of the cup by accepting the rim into the concavity in the structural member.

In certain embodiments, the present technology provides a cupholder comprising a structural member having a cross-section that substantially corresponds to the cross-section of the protruding upper rim of the cup. The structural member grips the protruding upper rim of the cup by accepting the rim into the cross-sectional cut-out within the structural member to which the rim's cross-section substantially corresponds.

In certain embodiments, the present technology provides a cupholder comprising a plurality of structural members that can collectively hold a cup that has a protruding upper rim.

In certain embodiments, the present technology provides a cupholder comprising a plurality of structural members that can hold a plurality of cups, each cup having a protruding upper rim.

In certain embodiments, the present technology provides a cupholder comprising two structural members that can hold a cup that has a protruding upper rim. The structural members are arranged so that they are parallel to one another. The distance between the structural members substantially corresponds to the diameter of the circle forming the protruding upper rim of the cup. The structural members grip the protruding upper rim of the cup by accepting the rim between the structural members.

In certain embodiments, the present technology provides a cupholder comprising a structural member that can hold a cup that has a protruding upper rim. The structural member forms a portion of an arc of a circle with a diameter that is substantially equivalent to the diameter of the circle forming the protruding upper rim of the cup. The structural member grips the protruding upper rim of the cup by accepting the rim at sufficient points to support the cup.

In certain embodiments, the present technology provides a cupholder comprising a structural member that can hold a cup that has a protruding upper rim. The structural member can be affixed to the bottom of a substantially flat surface to provide storage for the cup beneath the surface. In these embodiments, the flat surface covers the open mouth of the cup and reduces the chance of spilling the contents of the cup by acting in a fashion similar to that of a lid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The various embodiments of the invention may be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of an embodiment of the present technology;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a cup having a protruding upper rim;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of another embodiment of the present technology;

FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of another embodiment of the present technology;

FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of another embodiment of the present technology;

FIG. 6 shows a top-down view of another embodiment of the present technology;

FIG. 7 shows a top-down view of another embodiment of the present technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE TECHNOLOGY

In certain embodiments, the current technology provides a cupholder as seen in FIG. 1 comprising a structural member 1 wherein the structural member can hold a cup 3 having a protruding upper rim 4 by gripping the protruding upper rim and the structural member 1 can be affixed to the bottom of a substantially flat surface 2. As used herein, the term “substantially flat” means that a surface is flat, or is effectively flat, such that any deviation from absolute flatness does not disrupt the function of the cupholder. For example, a curved surface may be substantially flat where the radius of curvature of the surface is sufficiently large to allow the structural member 1, affixed to the surface, to accommodate the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3. Similarly, a textured or bumpy surface may be substantially flat where the texture or bumpiness of the surface does not prevent the structural member 1 from accommodating the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3. The structural member 1 provides support to hold the cup 3 in place primarily by making contact with the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3. In certain embodiments, no portion of the cup 3 other than the protruding upper rim 4 needs to bear the support load required to hold the cup 3 in the present technology, although some embodiments may distribute some of the support load to the exterior wall of the cup 3 near the protruding upper rim 4.

In all embodiments of the present technology, the substantially flat surface 2 may be any number of household or other common surfaces. For example, the substantially flat surface may comprise the underside of a kitchen plate, a bowl, a dinner table, a desk, a countertop, a bar, a gaming or poker table, a picnic bench, a stadium seat, an office chair or other like surfaces. The choice of surface is limited only by the requirement that the surface be substantially flat such that it can accommodate the structural member 1 in a configuration that allows a cup 3 having a protruding upper rim 4 to be gripped by the structural member.

In certain embodiments of the present technology, the cup 3 may comprise any number of common or custom-designed cups of varying sizes and shapes. As used herein, a “cup” means an structure capable of supporting other objects or materials and containing those objects, wherein containment is provided by the outermost portion of the structure that are raised above the innermost portions. An example of a cup 3 having a protruding upper rim 4 is shown in FIG. 2. The cup 3 shown in FIG. 2 is shaped like a drinking glass, with a raised exterior wall that contains materials supported by the base in the innermost portions of the cup 3. Other cups 3 might be shaped like a soup bowl with sides that gradually slope upwards and radially outwards to the exterior circumference of the bowl and that provide both support and containment for the objects or materials therein. Still other cups 3 might be shaped like a dinner plate or dish with sides that gently slope only slightly upwards to guide materials toward the innermost portions of the plate. The only restriction on the cup 3 is that it must have a protruding upper rim 4. Such appropriate cups 3 include, but are not limited to: “Dixie”® cups; red and blue plastic “Solo”® cups; drink cups designed for use with a plastic lid such as those commonly found at stadiums, movie theaters and fast food restaurants; bowls; buckets; plates; and basins. In these cups, the protruding upper rim 4 surrounds the upper edge located at the mouth of the cup. The protruding upper rim 4 commonly has a circular or rectangular cross-section that extends outward from the exterior surface of the cup 3. This protruding upper rim 4 provides the primary surface of contact between the structural member 1 and the cup 3. Custom-designed cups may also be used, provided they have a protruding upper rim 4.

The structural member 1 is attached to the substantially flat surface 2 at the interface 5. Such attachment may be accomplished by numerous means. Such means include adhesives, such as glue; mechanical bindings such as nails or screws; and simultaneous molding or casting of the structural member 1 to the substantially flat surface 2. For example, one might mold a plastic plate such that it includes a structural member 1 formed on the substantially flat surface 2 comprising the underside of the plate and allowing one to store a cup 3 having a protruding upper rim 4 beneath the plate.

The current technology provides a cupholder, as seen in FIG. 1, that utilizes a groove 6 formed at the interface 5 between the substantially flat surface 2 and the structural member 1 wherein the groove 6 can accommodate the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup. In such embodiments, the cross-section of the groove 6 formed at the interface 5 is collectively formed by portions of the sides of the structural member 1 and the substantially flat surface 2. In these embodiments, the structural member 1 may have a cross-section in the form of an L, a hook, or any cross-section that allows the structural member 1 to grip the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3. Furthermore, the groove 6 may accommodate the protruding upper rim 4 by being sufficiently large as to partially or fully surround the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3 without compromising the structural member's 1 grip on the protruding upper rim 4.

Certain embodiments of the present technology, like those shown in FIG. 3, provide a cupholder that utilizes a groove 7 formed within the structural member 1, and that can accommodate the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3. In such embodiments, the groove 7 may accommodate the protruding upper rim 4 by having a shape allowing the protruding upper rim 4 to fit sufficiently within the groove that the cup may be gripped and held in place by the structural member 1. Such a groove 7 may have a cross-section including, but not limited to, a rectangular cutout, a square cutout, a triangular cutout, a circular cutout or any other cross-section sufficiently large to partially or fully surround the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3 without compromising the stability of the structural member's 1 grip on the protruding upper rim 4.

Certain embodiments of the present technology, like those shown in in FIG. 4, provide a cupholder with structural member 1 angled such that it forms an acute angle with the bottom of the substantially flat surface 2. The structural member 1 and substantially flat surface 2 meet such that an angled groove 8 is formed between the upper surface of the structural member 1 and the substantially flat surface 2 to which the structural member 1 is affixed. The angled groove 8 may accommodate the protruding upper rim 4 by being sufficiently large that it can partially or fully surround the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3 without compromising the stability of the structural member's 1 grip on the protruding upper rim 4.

Certain embodiments of the present technology, like that shown in FIG. 5, provide a cupholder with a structural member 1 that is concave on at least the surface that makes contact with the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3. The concavity 9 in the structural member 1 may accommodate the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3 by being sufficiently large that it can partially or fully surround the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3 without compromising the stability of the structural member's 1 grip on the protruding upper rim 4.

Certain embodiments of the present technology provide a cupholder with a structural member 1 having a cross section that substantially corresponds to the cross-section of the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3 or a portion thereof. As used herein, the term “substantially corresponds” means the quantities that substantially correspond to each other are equal, or nearly equal, where the aforementioned quantities relate to the elements in the structural member 1 and the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3 that facilitate the structural member's 1 ability to grip the protruding upper rim 4. In certain embodiments of the present technology, the cross-section of the structural member 1 substantially corresponds to the protruding upper rim 4 where the cross-section of the structural member 1 is nearly identical to any portion of the protruding upper rim 4, such that the cross-section of the structural member 1 only differs from that of the protruding upper rim 4 enough to allow storage of the cup 3 beneath the substantially flat surface 2 using the structural member 1 without undue force and without compromising the stability of the structural member's 1 grip on the protruding upper rim 4. As used herein, the term “undue force” means any force that needs to be exerted on the cup 3 to store the cup 3 beneath the substantially flat surface 2 using the structural member 1, wherein such force is substantially likely to cause damage to the cup 3 or any portion thereof.

Certain embodiments of the present technology, like those shown in FIGS. 6 & 7, provide a cupholder comprising a plurality of structural members 1 wherein the plurality of structural members 1 can accommodate the protruding upper rims 4 of one or more cups 3.

Certain embodiments of the present technology, like that shown in FIG. 6, provide a cupholder comprising two structural members 1 wherein the structural members 1 are parallel. The structural members 1 are positioned such that the distance between the structural members 1 substantially corresponds to the diameter of the circle forming the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3 such that the structural member 1 and protruding upper rim 4 are in contact to facilitate the structural member's 1 grip on the protruding upper rim 4. In such embodiments, the distance between the structural members 1 and the diameter of the protruding upper rim 4 are equal or nearly equal, differing as necessary to allow storage of the cup 3 beneath the substantially flat surface 2 without undue force and without compromising the stability of the structural member's 1 grip on the protruding upper rim 4. In such embodiments, the structural members 1 may be grooved or otherwise shaped as otherwise described throughout this description to accommodate the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3. Similarly, such embodiments may be designed to accommodate a plurality of cups 3.

Certain embodiments of the present technology, like that shown in FIG. 7, provide a cupholder with a structural member 1 that forms a portion of the arc of a circle with a diameter that substantially corresponds to the circle forming the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3. In certain embodiments, the diameter of the portion of the arc of the circle forming the structural member 1 substantially corresponds to the circle forming the protruding upper rim 4 where the diameters of the circles are nearly equal, with the diameter of the arc of the circle forming the structural member 1 differing as necessary to allow storage of the cup 3 beneath the substantially flat surface 2 using the structural member 1 without undue force and without compromising the structural member's 1 grip on the protruding upper rim 4.

In certain embodiments of the present technology, like those shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, & 5, the cup 3 is gripped such that the substantially flat surface 2 covers the mouth of the cup and reduces the chance of spilling the contents of the cup. The substantially flat surface 2 acts as a lid that reduces the chance of spilling the contents of the cup 3 where the distance between the protruding upper rim 4 of the cup 3 and the substantially flat surface 2 is small enough that the contents of the cup cannot easily escape the cup while undergoing any motion which the substantially flat surface 2 can be expected to undergo. Such motion is particular to the substantially flat surface 2 involved. For example, a plate acting as the substantially flat surface 2 to which the structural member 1 is affixed would be expected to undergo much more motion than would a desk or table acting as the substantially flat surface 2.

While the present technology has been illustrated and described by means of specific embodiments and alternatives, it is to be understood that numerous changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed technology. Therefore, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited in any way except in accordance with the appended claims and their equivalents. 

I claim:
 1. A cupholder comprising: a structural member capable of holding a cup having a protruding upper rim by gripping the protruding upper rim, wherein the structural member can be affixed to the bottom of a substantially flat surface.
 2. The cupholder of claim 1 wherein a groove is formed at the interface between the substantially flat surface and the structural member, and wherein the groove can accommodate the protruding upper rim of the cup.
 3. The cupholder of claim 1 wherein a groove is formed within the structural member, and wherein the groove can accommodate the protruding upper rim of the cup.
 4. The cupholder of claim 1 wherein the structural member forms an angled interface with the bottom of the substantially flat surface, and wherein the angled interface forms an acute angle with the bottom of the substantially flat surface such that the angled interface can accommodate the protruding upper rim of the cup.
 5. The cupholder of claim 1 wherein the structural member is concave such that the concavity can accommodate the protruding upper rim of the cup.
 6. The cupholder of claim 1 wherein the cross-section of the structural member substantially corresponds to the cross-section of the protruding upper rim of the cup or a portion thereof, such that the structural member can accommodate the protruding upper rim of the cup.
 7. The cupholder of claim 1 comprising: a plurality of structural members, wherein the plurality of structural members can accommodate the protruding upper rim of the cup.
 8. The cupholder of claim 1 comprising: a plurality of structural members, wherein the plurality of structural members can accommodate the protruding upper rims of a plurality of cups.
 9. The cupholder of claim 1 comprising: two structural members, wherein the structural members are parallel to each other and the distance between the structural members substantially corresponds to the diameter of the circle forming the protruding upper rim of the cup, such that the structural members can accommodate the protruding upper rim of the cup.
 10. The cupholder of claim 1 wherein the structural member forms at least a portion of the arc of a circle with a diameter that substantially corresponds to the circle forming the protruding upper rim of the cup.
 11. The cupholder of claim 1 wherein the cup is gripped by the structural member, such that the substantially flat surface covers the mouth of the cup and reduces the chance of spilling the contents of the cup. 